Grow a seed. Make some art. Change the world.

By Jenna Smith and ChristianWeek | June 20, 2008

It's summer time. If you're looking for an activity to do with the kids or just by yourself, might I suggest the Seed Project? You don't have to be an artist to appreciate this project, but if you appreciate the arts, it'll help.

The Seed Project was launched in 2006 by David Cohen, an installation artist from Manhattan, as a global initiative for anyone who "wants to see a more creative, sustainable world." It's a sort of David Suzuki meets Andy Warhol mixed with a touch of Martha Stewart.

The idea is relatively simple: Purchase organic basil seeds (you can buy them online). Grow them any way you want, in a contained space (such as egg cartons or your garden or a homemade flower pot). Take a picture of your creation. Send it to the-seed-project.org and voilà! You are officially a part of a virtual collective of artists and activists.

Now, you don't have to plant your seeds in any unusual way, but it is encouraged. For instance, on the website you will find pictures of basil growing out of army boots, clam shells and a dust pan. The message, basically, is take the seeds and go crazy. Responsibly, of course. And if you think you aren't artsy enough, think again. Groups of third graders have joined this movement—their pictures of basil growing out pop bottles are hilarious.

The Seed Project joins the ranks of a whole gamut of artistic activist gardening taking place across the planet. Guerilla Gardeners, for instance. These "seed bombers" move through their cities, finding back alleys, concrete squares or abandoned flower patches. They clean, weed and plant flowers in order to bring life—quite literally—to some of the ugliest areas of their neighborhoods.

Guerilla Gardeners, whose motto is "fight the filth with forks and flowers," peacefully have spread across the continents and can be found in most major cities in Canada. There's even a book. On Guerilla Gardening: a handbook for gardening without borders, by Richard Reynolds, explains how to be a countercultural horticulturist (and do it legally).

You may be wondering what's so special about growing seeds. In and of itself, it's not that special. But the fact is, we live in a filthy world, and by environmental standards it's becoming filthier.
Ecological crises don't just affect air quality and access to potable water; it affects earthly beauty. Hence the importance of little efforts to beautify our world, such as planting seeds in ridiculous fashion.

For me this is a biblical concept which dates back to the Garden of Eden. The fact that humanity gets its physical sustenance from exotic plants and luscious leafage instead of through vitamin tablets is just lovely. The very fact that nature does not just cater to our physical needs, but appeals to our senses, proves to me that God cares about beauty.

When people who live in even the most modest or stark circumstances make an effort to display an African violet or a colorful piece of fabric, it proves to me that the human being is drawn to visual niceness. We need it—it makes us feel alive. The human soul thirsts for living beauty because this is how we are made.

So. A seed is no small matter. Thousands of people, artists and others, are using seeds to take a stand. And when art collides with environmental issues in order to beautify our surroundings, theologically, it's just plain good news.

Check out the Seed Project at www.the-seed-project.org and Guerilla Gardening at www.guerrillagardening.org.